Scales of War

We make war that we may live in peace. -- Aristotle

43b -- Heroic Epilogue

9

OCT/11

After the events in Overlook a sense of peace returned to the city. Defenses were rebuilt, mercenaries were left to escort trade caravans rather than patrol the walls, and a feeling of hope pervaded the atmosphere. The Defenders of Brindol spent two weeks resting in House of Sleep before the assassins started to show up.

The first assassins tried to slay Biatch while she was at a seedy bar. They didn’t expect the unsavory clientele to come to her defense. Apparently she owed them money and they wanted to protect their investment. Plus, few people have access to the the City Council and then get drunk and blab overheard secrets. The patrons couldn’t let a gem like her die so easily.

After the initial attempts the group was inclined to stick together. This really bothered Adren and Elan who were starting to feel some wanderlust. Then rumors of a large attack made it to their ears and they decided to split up and go into hiding.

Nobody gave specific details on their hideout. It was presumed that Adren would go to either the Northern or Southern forest to reunite with his clan. Or maybe persue his vendetta against Thorn. Or possibly investigate the whereabouts of Rathoriax who was last seen near the Northern forest.

Elan probably returned to Astrazalian. That might be the safest place in the realm, especially if she stayed while it returned to the Feywild.

Biatch would likely find a clan of Halflings to sail with. Or perhaps a cheap and dirty inn where her cash would buy her a lifetime of weak beer.

Nobody knew exactly where Gilbain would end up. Sanctuary in the Bahamut’s cathedral would be safe but some thought he would rather die than be locked up in a church. He might have gone to seek advanced training with Josseth but spending time with that zealot was just as dangerous as assassins.

Longbreath was against splitting up at all. He preferred to face the threat directly and united but he understood and respected the others’ wishes. He chose to stay in Overlook and accept a military title. Always in the company of soldiers, he never presented an opportunity for assassins to strike. He used his position to investigate General Zithruun, the mercenaries hired to attack Overlook (especially the Dragonborn), and the assassins.

Before saying goodbye, the party exchanged passwords, procedures, and seals to verify their true identity in case of spies, compromised messengers, or dopplegangers. Longbreath gave each of them a task to help solve some of the lingering questions… Why did Zithruun attack us? What became of him? Who do the assassins work for?

After many weeks, Longbreath sent messages for everyone to return to Overlook. Rested and trained, Gilbain and Elan returned. Gilbain was already in Overlook, perhaps he never left. Elan used a linked portal to instantly return. Once there they found a message left by Longbreath. It instructed them to gather the Defenders of Brindol quickly and meet him “where we planted a flag on an island”.

Elan and Gilbain waited three days but did not hear from Adren or Biatch so they gathered two new allies and decided what to do next.